Firefighting efforts continue in Shelburne County
Fire crews are still working to extinguish the 23,525 hectares fire near Barrington Lake.
Helicopters are in the air, however the smoke-filled horizon that had become a common sight in Shelburne County is now gone.
Highway 103 between Exits 27 and 30 will reopen to the public at 8 p.m. Thursday, though motorists will not be allowed to stop along this section of highway.
There has been strong progress, but fire crews are not out of the woods yet.
“The fire is still being held at this time and that means we are not expecting the perimeter to grow,” said David Rockwood, public information officer for the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR).
From the helicopter, DNRR staff continue to spot smouldering areas that need dousing.
“We do know that it has gone down into the ground. It’s not too deep, but it’s down in the ground. The ground is drying out quickly,” Rockwood said.
To help pinpoint those spots, special equipment is en route from British Columbia.
“They’ll do thermal imaging scan, so registering the heat in the ground and that will make it easier for us to find a hotspot,” he said.
All this means some residents still can’t return home.
“Couch surfing with friends and family is an enormous amount of pressure on relationships and those are the lucky people. Sleeping on a cot in the arena is also not fun,” Ingomar resident, Cheryl Atkinson, said.
Oil spills, septic backups and hotspots are being blamed for keeping residents like Atkinson out of their homes.
The fire is being attacked by 130 DNRR firefighters with help from outside the province and municipal and volunteer firefighters on scene. Crews are working to extinguish what’s left of the largest forest fire in the province’s history.
The Salvation Army has taken on the task of feeding the hungry crews battling the fire, serving more than 250 meals a day for ten days straight.
“At the end of the day they need a good hearty meal at the end of the day because they’re cold, they’re tired, they’re wet, and to come in for a good meal, hot meal,” Major Marie Osborne-Keeping with the Salvation Army, said.
For More Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.